Sport.telegraph bulletin

10:30AM BST 27 Mar 2001

Today's top tales: A long and successful winter for England's cricketers is drawing to a suffocating and losing conclusion in the heat of Colombo. Graeme Hick battled against heat exhaustion and ended his innings of 46 with Nick Knight acting as his runner. His efforts helped England recover from 39-4 to 165-9 but Sri Lanka are breezing towards victory and a 3-0 one-day series victory, scoring at more than five an over to reach 70 without loss.

The mark of a champion was evident when Tiger Woods attacked the pin at the front of the 17th green at the Players Championship at Sawgrass. Those of you who have seen the hole at the Florida course will know that it sits on a tiny circle of green, 95 per cent of which is surrounded by water. Woods was lucky - the ball came within six inches of landing in the drink - but you know what they say about making your own luck and Woods held off the challenge of Vijay Singh to win by one shot.

England have arrived in Tirana for tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against Albania and the signs are that Nicky Butt for Steven Gerrard will be the only change from the team that beat Finland. Should Andy Cole retain his place? That was the question we posed on our current e-poll and it seems you agree with Sven-Goran Eriksson. Cole is ahead of Emile Heskey in the voting and well clear of Robbie Fowler and Teddy Sheringham. The e-poll is on our front page.

Also in Tirana for tomorrow night's game is Norman Wisdom, a comic icon in Albania whose slapstick humour has made him a favourite for decades. Perhaps he'll bump into the Leeds United chairman: ''Mr Ridsdale, Mr Ridsdale..''

Quote of the day: ''I have tried contacting him but he's gone off on holiday to the South of France and is not answering his phone. He might as well be in hiding.'' Birmingham owner David Sullivan attempting to put his side of the argument over the state of the St Andrews pitch to Trevor Francis.

Tabloid Talk: Chelsea have lined up a £20 million double bid for Rangers midfielders Barry Ferguson and Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Credibility rating: Four out of 10; Van Bronckhorst seems destined to leave and Ferguson is being pursued by Leeds and Liverpool.

Happy Rae makes dash to join up with Scotland Gavin Rae's elevation to the Scotland squad has immediately raised his profile at Dundee, where manager Ivano Bonetti says he expects the 23-year-old midfielder to take more responsibility when he returns to Dens Park

Giggs comeback is tempered by Savage blow The news that Ryan Giggs is fit and ready to face the Ukranians tomorrow was tempered yesterday by the latest withdrawal from Wales' midfield selection when the influential Robbie Savage pulled out of Mark Hughes's squad

Williams' father alleges racist abuse Richard Williams has fanned the flames of controversy with a claim that his family were the victims of "the forces of evil" and had been racially taunted in California 10 days ago

Cricket

England run out of steamTwo down, with one to play in the one-day series, England are suddenly looking like a bedraggled army of conscripts, and with good reason. Michael Henderson considers the future of England's one-day cricket

Boxing

Hatton on world stage after punishing Pep The ruthless body punching which has been the trademark of Ricky Hatton since the start of his career 3.5 years ago destroyed lanky Canadian Tony Pep in four rounds at Wembley Conference Centre last night

Thorpe sends another record tumbling Olympic champion Ian Thorpe claimed his 12th individual world record yesterday when he demolished the 800 metres freestyle mark at the Australian national championships